


Let Me Adore You

by thetomkatwholived



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Social Media, The Bachelor AU, dating show
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-26
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:21:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22903891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thetomkatwholived/pseuds/thetomkatwholived
Summary: Nico Kim is the first gay and Asian Bachelor in the show's history. Enter 30 eligible suitors, all vying for Nico's heart. America will watch and speculate as Nico's love story unfolds.
Relationships: Nico Kim/Levi Schmitt
Comments: 60
Kudos: 174





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This idea came from my fascination with The Bachelor series and complete inability to actually get into the show. Despite not being able to actually watch an episode, I developed an AU headcanon of Nico as the Bachelor and posted about it on Tumblr, where some people really wanted the fic. 
> 
> My thought is to keep it in the format of social media posts, articles, and reactions to the episodes. It'll be different, but I think it'll also be kind of fun? I may end up interspersing it with a more traditional fic format inside the mind of Nico or Levi. However, if that proves to be too jarring or weird, definitely tell me and I can rethink that.
> 
> Since I do not watch The Bachelor, if anyone has advice or insight on how to make it more accurate to the show, please let me know!
> 
> I do not own any photo used! They are mostly from Jake and Alex's social media or public domain photo sites. I did create the fake social media posts, but none of the pictures are actually mine.

_Excerpt from_ **Wining and Pining with Monica** , _dated July 20th, 2020_

  
  


Greetings, Bachelor Nation! A new season of The Bachelor is upon us, with a bit of a twist this time around! After America met (and fell in love with) Jess K’s cousin, Nico, during hometowns last season, fans have been clamoring for him to somehow join Bachelor Nation. All the Tweets and Insta comments have paid off, as Nico was just announced as the first Asian AND gay Bachelor! His season will air before Bri’s season of the Bachelorette, starting late summer.

Since Nico has never been an actual contestant on the show, ABC will be airing a special after the finale of Bachelor in Paradise to get us acquainted with the medical hottie (did we mention he’s a doctor?! Swoon!). Check back for updates as we learn more about this new Bachelor and his batch of suitors!

*******  
  


*******

_Excerpt from_ **Wining and Pining with Monica** , _dated July 29th, 2020_

Welcome back, Bachelor Nation! And welcome to all the newbies jumping onboard for Nico’s groundbreaking season! Today, we were gifted with our 30 hunky suitors for our new fave Bachelor, Nico. Let us help you sort out the duds from the studs…

  
  


… Lastly, we have Levi, a medical resident from Seattle, WA. He was clearly chosen because of his shared profession with Nico, but we can’t see him lasting much further than the first night. Sure, he’s cute and seems like a breath of fresh air from some of the brainless jocks in this bunch, however, there’s no way he’s going to be able to compete with the likes of Luke or Jason. We can probably expect minimal screentime for this bachelor suitor, maybe allowing him to make an appearance on the next season of Bachelor in Paradise.

*******

*******

_Excerpt from_ **Wining and Pining with Monica** , _dated August 11th, 2020_

Hey there, Bachelor Nation! Did you catch the special spotlight on Nico last night? Have you recovered from all your swooning? This half-hour special dove into details about our new Bachelor, including why he chose to go into medicine, how he came out, and why he wanted to be involved with the show.

“Meeting someone who’s out and available is already difficult, without factoring in all the time I spend at work. Jess had a great time on the Bachelor and met some awesome people, so when the offer was made, she’s really the one who convinced me. I’m not sure how successful I’ll be, but it’s worth a shot, right?” I guess we owe a huge debt of gratitude to last season’s favorite, and eventual winner of Austin’s heart, Jess K for convincing her cousin to take the reins.

When asked what he looked for in a guy, Nico played coy, insisting he just wanted someone sweet that he had a connection with. Here’s hoping one of his 30 hopefuls, who we discussed here, will be that guy for him.

He also spoke candidly about his coming out and the pressures he felt from his family, both to meet their standards as a son and an Asian man. During this segment, he and Chris Harrison both made it clear that Nico’s journey and identity will play a big part in this season.

Only a month to go until we get to see Nico’s quest for love and learn even more about this life-saving hottie! 

*******  
  


*******

_Excerpt from_ **Wining and Pining with Monica** , _dated August 23rd, 2020_

Spoilers ahead, Bachelor Nation! Our sources told us they saw Nico and a selection of his hunky admirers out and about on what must be the first group date of the season! They apparently saw Nico cheering on 20 men as they completed an obstacle course in two teams. Presumably, he’ll also have at least one one-on-one date that week, possibly two, meaning 22 men could remain. 

Since the show’s filming schedule is overlapping with episode releases, spoilers are going to be much harder to come by. By the time the first episode airs, he should be down to his top 15 or so. However, someone must have made a strong impression because the Bachelor himself felt compelled to Tweet that he thought a love story was already beginning. The opening cocktail party should be interesting! 

No word on if the contestants will follow the same rules as those in Austin and Faith’s seasons where they’re allowed to do one promo post for the show a week. In the past, the show has been notorious about not allowing the participants access to the outside world, a policy that seems to have loosened up this past year. We’ll have to see who posts come September 7th!

Back to the group date! Our sources said it was hard to make out who each individual guy was, but one surprising suitor was spotted among the bunch: Seattle cutie, Levi! If you’ll remember, we predicted Levi wouldn’t make it past the first night, but he has proven us wrong! Our new theory is that he remains middle of the road on that first night, not particularly shining through, while also not making a bad impression. 

Other contestants suspected of being on the date were…

*******


	2. Week One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Week One of Nico's season of The Bachelor has come and gone, and America has some thoughts. A clear favorite emerges, Jimmy Kimmel makes his predictions, and we get a bit of a look into Nico's thoughts during this episode.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to create a fake Youtube thumbnail for the Jimmy Kimmel part, but that is a level of skill I simply do not possess. 
> 
> I know a lot of the actual Bachelor episodes are two hours long, but I've decided, in my alternate universe, every episode after this one is only an hour-long. I feel like there was so much to fake recap!

_Excerpt from_ **Wining and Pining with Monica** , _dated September 8th, 2020_

Week One and done, Bachelor Nation! And what a week it was! We started out with everyone’s favorite: the first-night cocktail party! Well, we actually started with Nico getting ready to go the mansion and talking with Jess K and Austin about the process.

Justin (the utterly confusing ship name for Jess and Austin) imparted some wise wisdom onto Nico, letting him know to follow his heart and trust the process and blah blah blah, all the same stuff we always hear. I’m excited to watch Nico, as someone who has never gone through this process in any capacity, navigate this crazy show. Maybe he can actually make smart decisions without letting the allure of drama and ratings get in the way.

Anyway, introductions took place and it was one hunk after another doing their best to make the best impression and get that coveted First Impression Rose. Of course, we’re going to go over all the highlights, but first, we need to talk about Levi.

  
*******  
  


*******

_Clip from Nico Kim’s personal audio diary, recorded August 18th, 2020_

“Um, okay, hi. So Jess recommended I keep some sort of log just to get my thoughts out since I can’t really have much outside contact. As much as I hate listening to the sound of my own voice, this felt like the easiest option.

“Uh, I met all the guys tonight and had the opening night cocktail party or whatever. And honestly? It was kinda weird. 30 guys just came out of limos and talked to me for 15 seconds before leaving to go inside. It all became kind of a blur after a while. I think I forgot a lot of these guys when they went inside.

“Well, except Levi. I could never forget him.”

*******

_Excerpt from_ **Wining and Pining with Monica** , _dated September 8th, 2020_

Levi from Seattle was one we wrote off pretty early on. He wasn’t blindingly handsome like a lot of the guys this season and seemed a bit of a nerd. But apparently, that’s exactly Nico’s type.

He stumbled out of the limo, almost tripping as he made his way to Nico, clearly overwhelmed if his wide-eyed, bewildered expression was any indication. When he stopped just a bit too close to Nico and pushed up his slipping glasses, I couldn’t see how he moved past night one. Then when he held out his hand to reveal a 20-sided die while mumbling something about Nico making a critical hit on his heart, I had to think my source was wrong and hadn’t seen him on a group date.

Except then Nico laughed, took the die like it was something precious, and smiled with such fondness. They exchanged introductions and I almost had to look away because it felt like such an intimate moment.

*******

*******

_Clip from Nico Kim’s personal audio diary, recorded August 18th, 2020_

“Inside the party was weird. Everyone was vying for my attention and I couldn’t remember everyone that well. I guess that’s where the producers come in? They gave me lowdowns before I spoke with anyone.

“But man, the only one I really remember is Levi. He had me create my Dungeons and Dragons character. You know those alignment charts people make? Apparently, that’s from there! I went with an elf wizard and a lawful neutral alignment. He’s something called a dragonborn paladin with a chaotic good alignment, which seemed weird at first. Except then he went into how he was in high school and coming to terms with his sexuality and it all started to make sense. It was honestly such a great way to get to know each other in a short span of time.

“He was going on about something called a Sunsword and I just kissed him. I couldn’t help it. Jess told me that the first kiss is a big deal or whatever, but I don’t know. I just wanted to kiss him. It was the first real connection I had felt all night.”

*******

_Transcript from_ **Jimmy Kimmel Live** _, dated September 8th, 2020_

**Jimmy Kimmel** : All right, all right. So Nico, I don’t know if you know, because you are new to Bachelor Nation, but I have a bit of a reputation surrounding The Bachelor franchise.

**Nico Kim** : Yes, Jess did mention something about that.

**Jimmy Kimmel** : Jess K, your cousin and winner of Austin’s season.

**Nico Kim** : Yup!

**Jimmy Kimmel** : Well, I predicted she’d win! Every season, my wife and I - I’ll be honest, it’s mostly my wife - will watch the first episode and predict the final three and who will win. I love doing this and seeing the reactions, are you ready?

**Nico Kim** : (deep breath) Let’s do it. I’m gonna have to school my face.

**Jimmy Kimmel** : Or don’t, just let all your emotions show.

**Nico Kim** : (laughs)

**Jimmy Kimmel** : Okay, drumroll. Three picks and then the winner of those three. Here we go! (holds up photo) Brad G. Brad G had the first one-on-one date. You guys went to a local fair, he won you a teddy bear in a game and you kissed on top of the Ferris wheel. Brad G.

Okay, next pick. (holds up photo) Levi. This is the one my wife is most sure of, surer than she’s ever been. He got the first impression rose, the first kiss, you guys made out at the cocktail party, and you seemed completely smitten with him all episode. Levi.

And lastly, James P. James P got the group date rose, he won the obstacle course you had set up. No kiss yet, but you two seemed to have great conversation and some kind of connection. James P.

**Nico Kim** : Okay, okay.

**Jimmy Kimmel** : And the final, the winner, the owner of your heart is... Levi! My wife is set in this choice, she is confident that Levi will be your final pick.

**Melissa McCarthy** : Look at his blush! Look at that blush!

**Nico Kim** : We’ll see, we’ll see.

*******

_Excerpt from_ **Wining and Pining with Monica** , _dated September 8th, 2020_

After the obstacle course, Nico noticed Levi, his clear favorite from night one, seemed a bit down. When he admitted that he felt inadequate compared to the more athletic guys on the show, Nico was quick to reassure him that he thinks he’s incredible and basically outright said he’s his favorite guy so far. That earned him an adorable blush from Levi, who he kissed, AGAIN. While James P came away with the group date rose, Levi seemed to have come away with a part of Nico’s heart...

… The cocktail party kind of dragged on with Nico obviously feeling a bit overwhelmed by everyone trying to talk to him. The first moment he seemed to truly relax was when he settled by the fire pit with our boy, Levi. They talked about the craziness of the last couple days and how it feels to be a part of such a groundbreaking season. Then, just as you could see Jason making his way over to steal Nico, our Bachelor leaned in and kissed Levi for the third time, resulting in the two spending what the show made seem like a long time making out by the fire pit. The cut-aways to other guys glaring at them was hilarious and Luke’s resigned sigh was a truly meme-able moment. You can find a round-up of our favorite internet reactions to that moment [here](https://theswiftiewholived.tumblr.com/). Ultimately, it really came as no surprise that Levi was the first call-out at the Rose Ceremony.

We here at Wining and Pining are truly eating our words. Our initial assessment was that Levi was a night one reject or a middle of the road straggler who wouldn’t make a strong impression. Instead, it seems like this Seattle cutie is the clear frontrunner of this season. And honestly? We’re all kind of Team Schmico!

*******

_Clip from Nico Kim’s personal audio diary, recorded August 22nd, 2020_

"I don’t know, I kind of wish I could just spend all my time with Levi. Call it all off and just be with him. We had two big group dates and a one-on-one and I still couldn’t really even focus on anyone else. The producers wouldn’t let me take him on the first one-on-one or give him the group date rose and I’m realizing they might be a problem. I’m also realizing that, as long as I get to see Levi, I’m not sure I care that much."

*******  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I added in the Nico audio diary because I wanted to be able to give him some sort of voice in this story. People on the show probably do keep some kind of diary, I'd have to imagine; I think I would. The idea of Nico just opening his voice memo app and getting everything out made a lot of sense to me. Is it a bit of a cop-out? Sure! But do we want to rely solely on fake Tweets and a made-up blogger named Monica? Probably not!


	3. Week Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Week Two finds Nico with 18 guys still vying for his heart. While Nico struggles with meddling producers, America watches as the other guys begin to take notice of the clear favoritism Nico's exhibiting. Will Levi remain the top contender for Nico's heart?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Week Two is maybe a bit more boring than people probably hoped. From what I can tell, on the show, it's just a lot of people doing weird group date things and bitching by a pool. I have a few things up my sleeve to make Week Three more exciting, even though it's still going to be much of the same as far as the actual episode format goes. Also, I think I want to bring in some more Jimmy Kimmel type things into the recaps, so if there's any after shows or podcasts you guys enjoy, let me know!
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this update!

_ Excerpt from  _ **Wining and Pining with Monica** ,  _ dated September 15th, 2020 _

Week Two is through, Bachelor Nation! We’re going to discuss the episode as well as some new spoilers we've learned. 

But first! I’ve received some questions from newer members of our nation about how Jimmy Kimmel is able to predict the winner when, presumably, the ending hasn’t been filmed yet. And the answer is, who knows! I know there was talk during Faith’s season, the first with this type of filming schedule, of holding off this tradition until later, but the promo is just too good to pass up. Usually, our Bachelor or Bachelorette has a good idea of who they may pick once they film this episode, so it still works! It actually makes it more impressive because no one can claim he just looked at the spoilers.

Let’s talk Week Two! We started the episode with Jason, Lawerence, and Samuel F talking by the pool about, what they call, “The Levi Situation.” You thought we’d be immune to petty drama this season? Think again! Apparently, they think it’s wrong for Nico to show such blatant favoritism so early on. They claimed that at least a small part of their alone time with him has consisted of talking about our favorite Seattleite! Also, the little kiss on the cheek Nico only gave to Levi at the last Rose Ceremony didn’t sit well with a lot of the guys.

*******

*******

_ Clip from Nico Kim’s personal audio diary, recorded August 25nd, 2020 _

“Am I supposed to be able to remember all of these guys at this point? I don’t mean that in any sort of rude way, it’s just that I get almost no one-on-one time with them and then I’m supposed to create connections? Wouldn’t it make way more sense for me to just choose the few I like and spend a lot of time with them?

“We had a big group date last night and I guess I have another for tomorrow. Today’s my one-on-one, which is with Jason, I think. The producers asked who I wanted to get to know better, and even though I said Levi, as I did last week, they put him in the group date for tomorrow. 

“I feel like I’m back in high school with some dumb crush on a boy who I only have one class with and don’t get to see that much. Some of the other guys are really great, don’t get me wrong, but all I can think about is getting to spend a whole day with just Levi. At least I’ll get to see him tomorrow.”

*******

*******

_ Excerpt from  _ **Wining and Pining with Monica** ,  _ dated September 15th, 2020 _

Was anyone else majorly underwhelmed by Jason’s one-on-one? For sure, he’s the hottest guy there, but man does he seem to lack any substance. From what we’ve seen of Nico, he’s the type of person who values conversation and an intellectual challenge, which I just can’t see him getting from Jason. I do understand, though, why he got the date rose; at this stage in the game, it must be hard to eliminate anyone whose name you can remember and you’re able to spend more than 15 minutes with. I guess that means we, and Nico, have a bit more time with Jason. 

On to the second group date! We had each of the nine guys - Luke, Anthony, Lawrence, James P, Brad G, Brad F, Samuel J, Daniel, and Levi - tasked with telling an embarrassing high school story to a crowd at a comedy club. Many of them spoke about losing the big game in the last minute or their first kiss, usually with a girl. How can this whole group of guys not have any truly embarrassing high school story with any real substance? No one’s story made me laugh or cringe or whatever they were hoping I would do.

Well, all except, who else, but our guy, Levi! He had me, and Nico, in stitches with a story about a party he once snuck into and all the shenanigans that ensued. Levi, as a bit of an outcast nerd in high school, was not the usual guest at such a party, as his story highlighted. His description of his first taste of beer had me close to tears. He was a bit awkward and long-winded up there, which turned out to be ridiculously charming and endearing. It came as no surprise when he received the group date rose and a big ole kiss from Nico, whose heart eyes are even more pronounced this week. 

*******

*******

_ Clip from Nico Kim’s personal audio diary, recorded August 26nd, 2020 _

“All my dates for the week are done! So far, Will, Jason, and Levi have roses, meaning I have 12 left to give out. I’m meeting with the producers tomorrow to kind of go over everything and then we have a cocktail party in the evening.

“I feel like I barely know a lot of these guys. According to the producers, other Bachelor and Bachelorettes had kissed more than four at this point. I’m supposed to be dating all these guys and creating connections with them by this point. With 18 guys?! I can’t tell my Brads from my Samuels yet

“Austin assured me that once I get it down to 15, it gets a bit easier. He said that’s when he realized who he felt most strongly about and was able to connect better. I’m not allowed to tell him, or Jess, that I’ve basically already figured it out. It’s apparently too early. Whatever.

“If I don’t get some real alone time with Levi soon, I may have to resort to sneaking out to see him. Austin mentioned Faith had done that in her season, with Quentin, once it became clear that the producers were trying to keep them apart. Apparently, she had expressed the same certainty about him early on and was constantly shot down when trying to get time with him. They got caught eventually, but the producers ended up loving it because of the added drama. Genuinely something to think about if my next one-on-one isn’t him.”

*******

*******

_ Excerpt from  _ **Wining and Pining with Monica** ,  _ dated September 15th, 2020 _

Now for some spoilers! At this point, we know the show has gone international and has been spotted in Scotland and Sweden. From what we can tell of the filming schedule, they are gearing up to head back to the states for hometowns this week. 

Our sources have informed us that Nico will be jetting off to Michigan, Massachusetts, Tennessee, and Washington. No other details on whose families he’s visiting, but we know that James P is from Ann Arbor, the only Michiganite this season, and both Brads hail from Massachusetts. While Anthony was from Knoxville, he was eliminated last night, leaving Will as our sole Tennessee participant. Of course, we could pretend to debate whether the Washington man is Jason or Levi, but is anyone really thinking Levi’s not getting a hometown?

It looks like next week, according to the promo, the guys will be venturing out to exotic Kansas City, Missouri. At this point, I think we are all just waiting for Levi’s one-on-one, but it looks like James P is our lucky guy this coming week. We know the producers often try to distance the Bachelor from their favorites, but this seems extreme; it’s obvious that Nico is getting anxious to spend more alone time with Levi.

*******

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to find me on Tumblr at [theswiftiewholived](https://theswiftiewholived.tumblr.com/)!


	4. Week Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Week Three brings frustration and creative problem-solving. Nico isn't interested in playing by the producers' rules, especially when they keep him away from the only person he truly wants to be around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I switched it up a bit in this chapter. I couldn't figure out how to incorporate one particular scene with the format I've been using, so I tried something new! I hope it doesn't break up the flow too much or feel horribly out of place...
> 
> Thanks to schmicosmalec and msmith043003 for helping with the date ideas!

_ Excerpt from  _ **Wining and Pining with Monica** ,  _ dated September 22nd, 2020 _

We’ve made it through Week Three, Bachelor Nation! We’ve begun the travel portion of the journey, with Nico and his 15 suitors jetting off to Kansas City, Missouri! Longtime readers will know that my college boyfriend was from KC, so I have a bit of a soft spot for that city. 

We’ll get into all the juicy parts of the dates in a bit, but we first need to talk about the frustration Nico is clearly having with production. He made thinly veiled remarks throughout the episode alluding to his disappointment in the way the producers have been scheduling his time. While any mention of names was left out, we can’t help but wonder if the lack of alone time with Levi, his clear favorite, is starting to weigh on him. He seemed ready to blow up at someone, that is, until the cocktail party. Whatever edge he had been feeling all week seemed to have subsided as he mingled and socialized, and, of course, pulled Levi aside for a while.

Many of you readers reached out wanting to know whether we had any theories for the change in demeanor. There’s plenty we’ve thrown around, but the most plausible one is that Nico pulled a Faith. For anyone that needs a refresher, our last Bachelorette, Faith, found her guy pretty early on but was seemingly denied time with him. Since the Bachelorette/Bachelor stays in another wing of the mansion, she found a way to sneak out and meet up with Quentin after hours. While this proved to be a major scandal at the time, the two are now very happily married and expecting their first child, so it must have been worth it.

*******

*******

_ Transcript from Jimmy Kimmel, dated September 21st, 2020 _

**Jimmy Kimmel:** The Bachelor was on tonight. Have you guys been keeping up with this season? (audience cheers) What’s so great about this season is that Nico, our Bachelor, is new to this whole thing and it’s starting to show. He seemed ready to get into it with the producers this week. And, well, take a look.

*montage of Nico being fed up with the producers*

**Guillermo:** He’s not happy. Not a happy guy.

**Jimmy Kimmel:** No, he is not. Basically, Nico is not getting the time he wants with one certain guy and it’s causing some tension. While they don’t come out and tell us who he’s pining after, there’s really only one option. 

*montage of Nico gazing at Levi while Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” plays in the background*

(Audience cheers and laughs)

**Jimmy Kimmel:** We had to pay a lot of money for the rights to that song so it better be funny!

*******

*******

_ Clip from Nico Kim’s personal audio diary, recorded August 28th, 2020 _

“I have my one-on-one today and once again, it’s not with Levi. Instead, I have to find time with him tomorrow on the group date. With 13 other guys. Don’t get me wrong, James P is great and I would definitely be into him if Levi wasn’t an option. Except Levi is an option and all I want is more than 15 minutes with him at a time.

“I wrote a note that I’m going to try to slip to him at some point. It says to meet me in the little patio behind my part of the mansion we’re staying at in Kansas City after production wraps for the day. At this point, I just need to spend time with him. And if it gets him kicked off the show, all the better. I’ll just end it early and go after him.”

*******

*******

_ Excerpt from  _ **Wining and Pining with Monica** ,  _ dated September 22nd, 2020 _

As much as I’m sure Levi is Nico’s first choice, he does have great chemistry with James P. Their one-on-one was the most natural we’ve seen so far and they seemed to connect as they browsed a barbeque festival and jammed out to Carly Rae Jepsen. Side note, how’d they get Carly Rae Jepsen?!

The group date saw the boys visiting a local brewery and working together to brew a special beer for Nico. My girlfriend, who is a craft beer freak, informed me that it typically takes at least two weeks to brew a decent beer because of the fermentation process. So whatever they ended up tasting at the end was certainly not what they had brewed earlier. 

After their brewing, Nico and the guys had a beer tasting, and Levi seemed to have his first real falter on the show. Sure, we’ve seen him literally falter when stepping out of the limo and being forced out of his comfort zone in the first group date, but tonight, we saw him lose focus. He was pushed aside during the brewing brainstorm session and seemed to have lost his mojo. Most of what we saw from him was background shots of him looking lost and almost bored. When watching, I couldn’t help but wonder if the other guys were working together to ice him out. Nico still found the time to pull him aside at the night portion of the date, but the damage seemed to have been done.

*******

*******

_ August 29th _

Levi pulled out the note Nico had given him during the group date, double-checking the time and location he had specified. Sneaking out had been surprisingly easy, as half the guys were asleep and the other paid him no mind. He slipped out through the back door and slunk over to the Bachelor’s side of the mansion, making sure to check for hidden cameras as he went.

Now, he was seated on the patio behind the mansion, wondering if this was all part of some long, drawn-out prank. While Levi had felt strongly for Nico since that first night, he couldn’t help but wonder what the hunky Bachelor saw in him.

“Boo,” a soft and not at all scary voice sounded close to Levi’s right ear. He whipped his head up to be met with Nico’s smiling face, one eyebrow cocked in a teasing manner. Levi couldn’t help but grin.

“Hey! I was beginning to worry this was all some big joke and you weren’t going to show.”

“What? No! Sorry, I was a bit nervous and had to spend some time psyching myself up.” Nico rounded the bench and took a seat next to Levi. The bench probably wasn’t made for two adult men, but neither was complaining about the proximity they now found themselves in.

“Nervous? Why are you nervous?”

Nico gave a small laugh, “I guess nervous isn’t the exact word. I’m just really excited to get some alone time with you. Whenever the producers ask who I want to have a one-on-one with, I always say you and they always put you on the big group dates.”

Levi blushed deep red, startled and flattered at the confession. In a fit of confidence, he reached over to thread his fingers through Nico’s, giving his hand a small squeeze, which Nico returned. Nico brought his other hand up to lightly grip Levi’s chin, turning his face towards him and giving him a soft, lingering kiss.

After a few minutes, Nico pulled back, having gotten carried away with the ability to be intimate without any other guys or cameras surrounding them. He smiled at Levi, whose eyes were still closed and lips still slightly puckered. Unable to resist, he leaned in for one more peck.

Levi cleared his throat, “So do you do this with all the guys? Have them sneak out to spend some alone time?” He meant it as a joke, but there was underlying insecurity.

“You’re the only one I want to be around. I was getting so frustrated at having 15 minutes, at the most, with you. I promise you that no other guy has snuck away to meet with me and no other guy will. Or at least, I won’t be asking anyone else to meet me.” Nico grasped one of Levi’s hands with both of his and held it in his lap.

“Oh. Um, okay. Cool, yeah,” Levi ran his fingers through his hair, making it stick up at odd angles, eliciting a small laugh from Nico, “I’m just not used to being chosen, especially in such a group of, uh, hot guys.”

“Why’d you sign up for the show, if I may ask?” Nico stroked his thumbs along Levi’s knuckles.

“My friends encouraged me, almost more as a confidence booster than anything else. I’d been having trouble in Seattle, newly out and busy all the time with work. My best friend, Taryn, jokingly asked our head of surgery if she’d give me time off to go on the show and she just laughed and said that if I actually got picked, I could have all the time I needed. She didn’t think it would happen. But here I am! On the show and still able to keep my job!” Nico chuckled at Levi’s awkward enthusiasm.

“Well, I think I owe your friend, Taryn, a huge debt of gratitude.”

“Oh, um, if you keep me until hometowns, you’d meet her then. My friends are kind of my family now. My mom… she… I don’t want to say she wasn’t supportive, but she was kind of passively disapproving? She was okay with me being gay just not being open about it. We haven’t been close in a while, but my friends have been such great support through all of that.”

“First of all, you’re definitely still going to be here for hometowns, I can promise you that. And I get it; I wasn’t out to my parents until about a year ago. I grew up with so many expectations and all this pressure to be perfect. I didn’t think they’d homophobic or anything, I just worried it wouldn’t fit with their idea of a perfect Asian son.” Levi scooted closer, placing a comforting hand on Nico’s shoulder.

For what must have been hours, they sat like that, migrating closer and closer until they were practically overlapping, talking about their lives and those closest to them. They talked about favorite foods and favorite movies, Nico insisting Levi had to try kimchi and Levi being appalled that Nico hadn’t seen 10 Things I Hate About You. At some point, they fell back into making out, slowly, but still passionately, until the light began to break over the horizon.

“Mm, I think I need to go. Brad G likes to wake up early to workout. He’ll notice I’m gone. Plus, we’re kind of tempting fate by staying out this long.” Levi kept a hand on Nico’s cheek, lightly stroking his cheek with his thumb.

Nico gave a deep sigh, “Okay, that’s smart. I wish you could stay. I know you can’t, I just wish you could.”

Levi gave him one last kiss before straightening his glasses, standing up, and making his way back to the contestants’ side of the mansion, glancing back at Nico before disappearing around a corner. He couldn’t stop the massive grin from overtaking his face.

*******

_ Excerpt from  _ **Wining and Pining with Monica** ,  _ dated September 22nd, 2020 _

We ended this episode with 12 men receiving roses and moving on to next week, which will take place in Scotland! The promo reveals a group date consisting of Scottish Highland Games and two one-on-ones. We know that one of the one-on-ones is with Will, but the promo didn’t show us the identity of the second one-on-one. Could this be the long-awaited Levi one-on-one? Or, are the producers trying to trick us all into thinking it’s with Levi only to throw him into the group date once again? 

Or, as many of you have suggested, could it not be a one-on-one after all, but the dreaded two-on-one? We’ve seen some of the guys feeling uncomfortable with the amount of attention Levi’s been getting. I wouldn’t put it past the producers to put Levi and, say, Samuel F or Lawrence, on a two-on-one just to stir the pot. We’ll have to wait and see! 

*******

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to find me on Tumblr at [theswiftiewholived](https://theswiftiewholived.tumblr.com/)!


	5. Week Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico and his contestants travel overseas for some good ol' Scottish fun! With Nico getting increasingly more frustrated with the producers, will this be the week he asserts himself?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops, tried something new with the format, once again. 
> 
> Also, my call out of The Bachelor producers is certainly for them, sure, but may be applicable to some people involved with another ABC show? Maybe... It's the Grey's writers. I'm mad at the Grey's writers.
> 
> Don't ask me how they got up to Arthur's Seat. Did they hike? Were they air-dropped? Who knows! I skipped that part of my Edinburgh trip because I have bad knees! I hung out in a cemetery and looked for Harry Potter related headstones instead because I am ridiculously cool. Then I fell off the Scottish National Monument and broke my wrist. You don't care, but you also know that now.
> 
> Quarantine has made me a bit crazy, can you tell?

_ Excerpt from  _ **Wining and Pining with Monica** ,  _ dated September 29nd, 2020 _

We’ve reached the end of Week Four, and what a week it was, Bachelor Nation! I know what you all want me to talk about, and trust me, that’s sort of all I want to talk about too. But, we can’t neglect the majority of the episode to only pay attention to one part. 

This week kicked off with a one-on-one with Will, where the two men explored the streets of Edinburgh before visiting the Edinburgh Castle. They genuinely seemed to have a good time and do have strong chemistry. Their little improvised jig to the bagpipes was adorable. I don’t think I necessarily got the appeal of Will until this week. He’s maybe a real contender!

*******

*******

_ Clip from Nico Kim’s personal audio diary, recorded August 31st, 2020 _

“I have a one-on-one with Will tomorrow, and I am kind of excited. My time with Levi reaffirmed that he’s the one I want to be with at the end of this, but some of the other guys are actually really cool. Just because I don’t want to be with them romantically, it’s still nice to make friends. Will is totally someone I think I could be great friends with after this is all over, and from what I know, he and Levi get along pretty well.

“They’re being very coy about my other one-on-one this week. I mean, I have the group date before that one so I’ll know based on process of elimination. I’m beginning to worry they’re setting up a two-on-one situation. I remember the two from Austin’s season and I feel like it’s more drama than a real date. Part of me is worried they’re going to give me that instead of a one-on-one with Levi.

“I’m just getting so frustrated. I don’t regret agreeing to all of this, but I wish I had a better idea of how much of the ‘reality’ is actually manipulated by the producers. I don’t get a huge say in who I’m with and what I do with them, and any input I do give is often brushed aside. They tell me to keep certain guys around because they’re apparently going to make good TV. I know next to nothing about Samuel F and Lawrence, but they will apparently bring good drama, so I have to let good guys, like Anthony, go. There’s only so much I can take.”

*******

*******

_T_ _ ranscript from Jimmy Kimmel, dated September 28th, 2020 _

**Jimmy Kimmel:** Alright, so we need to talk about the Bachelor. Tonight’s episode was the first international episode, with lots of Scottish fun. But that’s not what everyone’s talking about, oh no. No, tonight we finally saw Nico’s frustration with the producers come to a head. You see, it’s been clear since Week One that he feels strongly for one particular contestant, Levi from Seattle. And it’s been heavily implied that the producers were keeping them apart.

This week, we saw the return of the dreaded two-on-one date, with Levi and Lawrence, who has been very clear about his disdain towards Levi. However, Nico wasn’t having it. He eliminated Lawrence as soon as the two arrived at the picnic set up for them on Arthur’s Seat.

*******

*******

_ Excerpt from  _ **Wining and Pining with Monica** ,  _ dated September 29nd, 2020 _

Okay, I’m aware most of you didn’t care about the group date. Maybe the most exciting part was when we saw Nico’s realization that both Levi and Lawrence were absent and there was only one date left for the week. His scowl throughout the date was enough to keep me watching.

Let’s talk about that two-on-one. Or, rather, what the producers hoped would be a dramatic two-on-one that actually turned into the most anticipated one-on-one for this season. The voiceover of the two men preparing for the date truly highlighted who these two are as people. Levi talked about being excited to spend more time with Nico in a smaller group and just hoped he’d have a fun time. Lawrence, on the other hand, badmouthed Levi, trying to say he was there for the wrong reasons and wasn’t the sweetheart everyone thought he was. Yeah, okay.

Nico looked truly pained as he watched the two men approach, clearly not excited for the awkward few hours ahead of him. I was getting ready to cringe my way through the rest of the episode when Nico pulled a fast one on all of us. Once the two men stopped in front of him, probably expecting, as I was, an explanation of the date, Nico, instead, bent down and GRABBED THE ROSE.

I literally gasped and my girlfriend began hitting my leg. Nico broke all the rules and sent Lawrence home before the date even began. And with that, we got our first real cliffhanger of the season! Will Nico be able to carry on with Levi on a one-on-one date? Will the producers find some way to punish him for ruining their carefully curated drama? We’ll have to wait and see!

*******

*******

_ September 3rd, 2020. Conversation between Nico Kim and [redacted], Bachelor producer _

“What the hell was that?! You got a free pass in the beginning because you’re new to this and didn’t understand the rules, but we’re well past that now!”

“Oh, I broke a rule? Whoops.” 

“You know damn well what you did! You have to let the date play out, let the two make bids for you.”

“Let the unnecessary drama take over? Yeah, I’m good, thanks. I wasn’t going to sit there and pretend that date had any actual purpose.”

“Look, at the end of the day, this is TV. We need to keep people interested, and Lawrence and Levi were a perfect two-on-one pair!”

“Don’t you think people may like watching a love story? Seeing some authenticity? You expected me to sit there while Lawrence threw passive aggressive remarks at the one person I actually care about?”

“We don’t know that’s what would have happened.”

“But that’s what you were banking on, wasn’t it? You told me week after week that Lawrence was great for views, he brought the drama. Well, I’m sick of drama. From now on, I’m getting rid of whoever I want, whenever I want.”

“You can’t -”

“I can’t? What are you going to do? Fire me midway through? Keep me from Levi? You’ve already been doing that! You get to arrange the dates and manipulate the footage, but at the end of the day, I’m the one with the roses. Make me a villain if you want, because at the end of all of this, I plan to be happy and in love. Now if you’ll excuse me.”

*******

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to find me on Tumblr at [theswiftiewholived](https://theswiftiewholived.tumblr.com/)!


	6. Week Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We pick up where we left off, with Nico quickly turning his two-on-one into a one-on-one. Now that Nico has thoroughly pissed off the producers, how will he change the way the game is played? Will he get his much-anticipated one-on-one with Levi?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna be honest, I hit a bit a wall with this one. It's probably more the whole situation of... everything than the chapter itself, but it did prove to be a bit more difficult. I hope it still came out well; I feel like I definitely did a lot of telling rather than showing, but that's kind of the limitations of the format. Which I restricted myself to so it's just my fault...
> 
> But in this troubling time, I think we need some dumb, mindless fluff, so I hope I was able to at least deliver on that!

_ Excerpt from  _ **Wining and Pining with Monica** ,  _ dated October 6th, 2020 _

Week Five was sure a doozy, Bachelor Nation! I spent the whole first twenty minutes squealing with excitement. For the first time in a long time, it felt like I was watching an actual love story unfold on The Bachelor before we even got it whittled down to single digits. Rarely, if ever, have we seen such incredible chemistry at this stage in the game. I’m referring, of course, to the two-on-one that transformed itself into a one-on-one for Nico and Levi.

*******

*******

_ Transcript from Jimmy Kimmel, dated October 5th, 2020 _

**Jimmy Kimmel** : Now, I know I spend a lot of time making fun of The Bachelor, but it’s entirely out of love. I’m serious! My wife and I genuinely enjoy the show. Now, for many seasons, the drama has been the focus, even though the original concept of the show was a love story. Well, that all seemed to change tonight, take a look.

*clip of Nico and Levi’s date*

On a show that relies on petty drama and a bachelor being conflicted with too many choices we rarely get to see such a connection, especially this early on. Also, I chose Levi as the eventual winner, so it looks like another correct pick for me!

*******

*******

_ September 3rd, 2020, from the diary of Lena Thompson, PA on The Bachelor _

As a PA on The Bachelor, I should probably be pissed right now. I’m supposed to be aiding production so when they set up a situation for maximum drama and are then denied, I should feel upset. The thing is though, I can’t be mad at someone fighting for his shot at love, especially when I know for a fact the producers have been keeping him apart from that love.

I usually work more on the group dates, but Madison, who was scheduled to work on this two-on-one, had a family emergency. What luck that I was able to step in because it was maybe the craziest day I’ve ever had on set.

When I found out it was going to be a two-on-one with Levi and Lawrence, I was pretty mad because I’ve made it clear how much I do like Levi. He’s always so nice and takes time to talk to me during down-time of all the group dates and cocktail parties. I’m hoping to stay in touch after this because he said he'll help me with my first campaign as a DM. And Lawrence has just been nasty since the beginning; he treats us like his servants.

I know the edit is gonna focus heavily on sending Lawrence home before the date started, but man, do I hope they give that date its proper time. This is becoming a love story. I want people to get to watch this love story. 

*******

*******

_ Excerpt from  _ **Wining and Pining with Monica** ,  _ dated October 6th, 2020 _

So let’s talk about that date, huh? After Lawrence sulked away and they showed him hiking back down with gloomy music in the background (side note: I love that he still thinks he’s not the villain of the season), we cut to a confused Levi and sheepish Nico. You can hear the scrambling behind the camera because the producers were clearly not expecting such a turn of events. But instead of waiting for any kind of cue, Nico just pulled Levi down onto the picnic blanket.

We got to see them talk while they ate, referencing inside jokes we’re not privy to and people we’ve never heard about before. These two have definitely had time together that we haven’t seen; nobody is that comfortable with someone they barely know. We saw them running around on Arthur’s Seat, Nico looking the most comfortable we’ve ever seen him. He seemed to lose track of the cameras, allowing him to fully enjoy himself. It all culminated in Nico tackling Levi, leading to a steamy makeout. This was all very reminiscent of the final scene of a rom-com. Our last shot was Levi leaning his back against Nico’s chest as they watched the sunset from atop the hill. I can’t help but wonder how the whole duration of the date went. I hope we get that footage at After the Final Rose.

Now, because we ended on a cliffhanger last week, our Rose Ceremony took place after the date, with a short cocktail party beforehand. If the footage we saw was any indication, Nico just spent most of his time with Levi. In a shocking move, he sent home Samuel F and Jason, the other two members of that weird little drama clique that formed, with Lawrence being the third. He also sent home George, who I honestly forgot was even still there.

… We still have Liam’s one-on-one next week and then we’ll be down to six suitors. We’re getting so close to hometowns and fantasy suites! Leave any predictions in the comments before next week when we (presumably) find out who will be joining Levi (because duh) in our Final Four.

*******

*******

_ Clip from Nico Kim’s personal audio diary, September 5th, 2020 _

The producers are mad at me. They must be. They set up my next one-on-one with Luke, and the one after that with Liam, both of whom I feel like I’ve barely spoken to. I don’t know, maybe they’ll prove to both be great. The group date is some kind of ABBA related scavenger hunt thing? They’re playing that up since we’re in Sweden.

Anyway, it seems like one of those group dates where I just watch instead of getting to hang out with the guys. Which sucks because that'll probably be my only real time to be with Levi this week. 

I miss him. I think… I don’t know. I just think that I may love him. Is that crazy? That’s crazy. Maybe I don’t love him just yet, but I know I could. I know I will.

*******

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to find me on Tumblr at [theswiftiewholived](https://theswiftiewholived.tumblr.com/)!


	7. Week Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico continues to defy the producers and is lured into a false sense of security. With minimal Schmico in Week Six and the promise of upcoming drama, things seem to be getting intense.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um, hey. So, I was gone for a bit... But I'm back now! This chapter is kind of a lukewarm return, but it is setting up a lot for the next one. I hope you enjoy!

_ Excerpt from  _ **Wining and Pining with Monica** ,  _ dated October 13th, 2020 _

Well, hey there, Bachelor Nation! Listen, we all knew the peak of this season would be Nico and Levi’s date, but was anyone else just kind of… bored this episode? Nico and Luke had A Swedish food tasting date and their chemistry was fine. They seemed more like bros than romantic prospects. Lots of platonic high fives and one frat-y bro hug later, and Nico seemed to come to that same conclusion as he sent Luke away with no rose.

The best part of the date was Luke’s exit interview. At this stage in the game, you expect them to be fairly emotional, lamenting the lost potential of love. Luke, however, shrugged it off. He even eluded to knowing he would never be the one Nico would choose from all the guys. This is our first indication that the remaining guys know where Nico’s heart lies and seem to actually be okay with that.

*******

*******

_ Clip from Nico Kim’s personal audio diary, September 7th, 2020 _

“I sent Luke home, which, honestly, I’m a little upset about. I had no romantic feelings for him, but we got along really well as friends. As far as I know, he and Levi were friendly too so hopefully, we’ll be able to hang out after all of this.

“I won’t see Levi until right before the Rose Ceremony, so we won’t be able to set up some kind of secret rendezvous. Once we leave here, we’re heading to Singapore and I have no idea about the plausibility of getting together there.

“Liam’s date is tomorrow. I know almost nothing about him. The producers implied they’d be pissed if I sent home both one-on-ones, but I can’t make myself care that much. Maybe it’ll be fun? I don’t have high hopes, but we’ll see.”

*******

*******

_ September 9th, 2020, from the diary of Lena Thompson, PA on The Bachelor _

Nico sent Liam home after his one-on-one, which the producers warned him not to do. I know he thinks they can’t do anything to him, but I know they can. My friend in editing got an assignment today to edit together clips of Levi and Luke, who he’s been closest to in the house, to make it look like they have something going on. I’m not sure if they plan to show Nico or just air it on the show. Maybe both. 

Levi’s phone is under lock and key until he’s allowed to send out his weekly Instagram promo, but it’s checked before they hand it over so he doesn’t get any spoilers. I’m not permitted to have access to Nico’s number. I hate that I can’t warn them! And the producers are going to do their best to keep them apart so they can’t talk about it. Then if they air it, America will end up hating Levi.

I hate it here.

*******

*******

_ Excerpt from  _ **Wining and Pining with Monica** ,  _ dated October 13th, 2020 _

The most exciting part of the episode was the promo for next week, which promised a big shake-up. I can’t imagine what that could be because everything seems to set with Nico and Levi. A lot of you have been asking if I have any intel, and honestly, my best guess is that the producers will get their revenge. Nico has been defying them and that’s not gonna fly on this show. They’ve been known to fabricate situations for maximum drama, and I wouldn’t put it past them to try to break up Schmico.

With the positive posts Levi is still making on Instagram, I can’t imagine this drama lasts, however, I hate to think they’d do that. With only six guys left, this is not the time for doubts and drama. 

The promo was almost entirely focused on the drama, so I have no idea who gets a one-on-one and who’s in the group next week. We all want to see another Schmico one-on-one, but the chances seem slim.

*******

*******

_ Clip from Nico Kim’s personal audio diary, September 9th, 2020 _

“I know that can’t be real. It can’t be. I thought… Have I been wrong this whole time?”

*******

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to find me on Tumblr at [theswiftiewholived](https://theswiftiewholived.tumblr.com/)!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello. So... I'm probably not going to be updating this. I lost a lot of interest in this couple and fandom. This fic has been really difficult to put together and got even more draining once I lost interest. If someone wants to pick it up, that's something I'd discuss. I also kinda knew the ending so I could tell people that if wanted. But yeah, I think this is probably going to be unfinished unless some things change. I really apologize. Thank you to everyone who liked this fic.


End file.
